- Joined
- Jan 20, 2014
- Messages
- 381
- Reaction score
- 856
- Points
- 93
- Location
- Kamp-Lintfort/Germany
- Website
- www.tomvandutch.de
It is a place with Prussian, German and Russian history. Wünsdorf was a Soviet town in East Germany, shielded from the rest of the country. GDR citizens had no access to the military part. 590 hectares of barracks, almost 700 buildings from the past 120 years - many have already been renovated today, but the majority is rotting away. During the First World War, pioneer troops fighting in France were stationed here. During the Second World War, the High Command of the Wehrmacht was stationed here and a headquarters set up. In 1945, the Soviet Marshal Zhukov settled here. Over the years, the Red Army's largest garrison outside the Soviet Union was built - at times up to 75,000 men, women and children lived in the sealed off and heavily guarded area, with cinemas, supermarkets, schools, leisure facilities, etc. The officers' house is only a small one , but nevertheless an attractive, architecturally valuable part of the former whole.
In 1906, a military training area and an infantry school were built in Wünsdorf, which is a district of Zossen. Around 30,000 prisoners of war were interned there during the First World War. The buildings had been converted into a garrison hospital. After her murder in 1919, Rosa Luxemburg's body was brought here for an autopsy.
During the Second World War, the OKH (High Command of the Army) was housed in the "Maybach I" bunker. The German armored forces were also founded in Wünstorf. The headquarters building still stands today. In the days of the Red Army, the whole area was a city in itself. A train ran daily from here directly to Moscow.
Comrade Lenin proudly stands in front of the main building. As a statue, he watches silently in front of the entrance to the officers' house in Wünsdorf and is still only a relic of the last users of this castle-like building. Because the history of this military location goes back a long way. Already in imperial times, military training areas, barracks and a gymnastics school were built. The Nazis later took over the complex and developed it into the most important news center in the German Reich. After the Second World War, the GSSD, later WGT, moved to the site as its headquarters. The largest Soviet military base outside of the Soviet Union was created. Up to 75,000 soldiers served in the bunkers, the forbidden city and the barracks of Wünsdorf.
Originally built by the Prussians as a gymnastics school, various sports halls and gyms were built in the 6 buildings of the area. There was a fencing hall, a swimming pool and even a riding hall. The Nazis continued to use the ensemble as an army sports school for the training of non-commissioned officers. However, as the war progressed, more and more hospital space was needed, so that from 1943 the school was used to treat wounded soldiers.
When the Red Army took over the site in 1945, the importance of this ensemble changed completely. The sports school became the most important cultural and entertainment center of the Red Army stationed in the GDR. Apart from the swimming pool and a few smaller sports rooms, nothing remains of the former use. The large gymnasiums were converted into concert and cinema halls, and the former officers' dining house and casino were given to the pioneer units of the GSSD as their own cultural center with a concert hall. The sports field in the courtyard was turned into an extensive park, in which a diorama that was known well beyond the borders of the GDR and once housed the monumental painting "Battle of the Reichstag" was integrated.
In 1994, the Red Army also cleared this site in the course of German reunification. The castle-like building ensemble has been empty ever since. Dust settled on the imperial staircases. The ropes of the swimming pool still seem to mark out the lanes and are no longer floating in the water, but hanging lonely in the air. Allegedly, the commanding general of the WGT, Generaloberst Burlakow, swam there on the day of his departure.
Yes, the piano does not belong here. Unfortunately, there are not only urbexers who decorate a location, but also tour organizers who "prepare" the rooms accordingly for their customers.
You should not enter the premises illegally. All buildings are definitely locked and a patrol regularly drives over the site. Motion detectors are also installed on the premises. If someone is found, the police are called immediately and a criminal complaint is filed. Contact the caretaker. For a small obelus he will let you onto the site and unlock all the buildings.
In 1906, a military training area and an infantry school were built in Wünsdorf, which is a district of Zossen. Around 30,000 prisoners of war were interned there during the First World War. The buildings had been converted into a garrison hospital. After her murder in 1919, Rosa Luxemburg's body was brought here for an autopsy.
During the Second World War, the OKH (High Command of the Army) was housed in the "Maybach I" bunker. The German armored forces were also founded in Wünstorf. The headquarters building still stands today. In the days of the Red Army, the whole area was a city in itself. A train ran daily from here directly to Moscow.
Comrade Lenin proudly stands in front of the main building. As a statue, he watches silently in front of the entrance to the officers' house in Wünsdorf and is still only a relic of the last users of this castle-like building. Because the history of this military location goes back a long way. Already in imperial times, military training areas, barracks and a gymnastics school were built. The Nazis later took over the complex and developed it into the most important news center in the German Reich. After the Second World War, the GSSD, later WGT, moved to the site as its headquarters. The largest Soviet military base outside of the Soviet Union was created. Up to 75,000 soldiers served in the bunkers, the forbidden city and the barracks of Wünsdorf.
Originally built by the Prussians as a gymnastics school, various sports halls and gyms were built in the 6 buildings of the area. There was a fencing hall, a swimming pool and even a riding hall. The Nazis continued to use the ensemble as an army sports school for the training of non-commissioned officers. However, as the war progressed, more and more hospital space was needed, so that from 1943 the school was used to treat wounded soldiers.
When the Red Army took over the site in 1945, the importance of this ensemble changed completely. The sports school became the most important cultural and entertainment center of the Red Army stationed in the GDR. Apart from the swimming pool and a few smaller sports rooms, nothing remains of the former use. The large gymnasiums were converted into concert and cinema halls, and the former officers' dining house and casino were given to the pioneer units of the GSSD as their own cultural center with a concert hall. The sports field in the courtyard was turned into an extensive park, in which a diorama that was known well beyond the borders of the GDR and once housed the monumental painting "Battle of the Reichstag" was integrated.
In 1994, the Red Army also cleared this site in the course of German reunification. The castle-like building ensemble has been empty ever since. Dust settled on the imperial staircases. The ropes of the swimming pool still seem to mark out the lanes and are no longer floating in the water, but hanging lonely in the air. Allegedly, the commanding general of the WGT, Generaloberst Burlakow, swam there on the day of his departure.
Yes, the piano does not belong here. Unfortunately, there are not only urbexers who decorate a location, but also tour organizers who "prepare" the rooms accordingly for their customers.
You should not enter the premises illegally. All buildings are definitely locked and a patrol regularly drives over the site. Motion detectors are also installed on the premises. If someone is found, the police are called immediately and a criminal complaint is filed. Contact the caretaker. For a small obelus he will let you onto the site and unlock all the buildings.
